Eyewitness News has learned that Carnegie passed away at the age of 91. He served as the voice of the Speedway for more than 60 years, taking the job in 1946. He was hired by track owner Tony Hulman to announce the first race under Hulman's ownership.

"I go out there fat, dumb and happy, you know, and announce a little event and Tony Hulman and Wilbur Shaw come over and say, 'You want to work the 500?'," Carnegie said at a party for his 90th birthday in 2009. "I don't know what came out, but it was good enough. I think they were just too embarrassed to fire me, so I stayed there for 61 races."

He retired from the Speedway in 2006.

According to the IMS website, Carnegie was born Carl Kenagy on September 25, 1919. A manager at the Fort Wayne radio station where he worked changed his on-air name to Tom Carnegie.

Carnegie's link to Indianapolis sports history extended beyond the Brickyard. He was the announcer at Hinkle Fieldhouse when Milan High School won the 1954 state basketball championship on Bobby Plump's infamous shot, which became the basis for the movie "Hoosiers."

RIP. The race isn't quite the same without him, though Calabro does a pretty good job.

Bball

02-11-2011, 03:39 PM

I really wish they had let TC do the "...Gentlemen, start your engines..." last year. We thought that was what they were about to do but instead they added Tom to introduce Mari Hulman George to do it.